The city of San Francisco takes center stage as the series shifts to the Bay Area, with the Giants looking to finish off the Nationals and advance to the National League Championship Series. The AT&T Park crowd has yet to see their hometown team this postseason, but the Giants do own a five-game home postseason winning streak dating back to Game 2 of the 2012 NLCS. The Nationals won 3-of-4 games in San Francisco this year, including a 2-1 victory by Doug Fister over Madison Bumgarner on June 10 in front of a sellout crowd, so they won’t be intimidated by the atmosphere.

The Stakes

Trailing 2-0 in the series, the Nationals know they must win Game 3 to extend their season at least one more day. Having to accomplish that against Bumgarner presents a daunting challenge, but they have had success against top pitchers all season and have won three games in a row several times.

A little more than five weeks ago, the Nationals were swept by the Philadelphia Phillies and saw their lead in the NL East cut to just six games over the Atlanta Braves. A trip to face Felix Hernandez and the Seattle Mariners was on tap after a west coast off day, with Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers on the horizon just after that. The Nationals shocked the baseball community that day with four home runs off King Felix, carrying their long ball power to a series win over Seattle and another over Los Angeles. The power surge pushed the Nats to a 21-9 finish, setting up home field advantage in the NL postseason.

It isn’t likely that Bumgarner will surrender four homers on Monday night, but a big performance at the plate could send Washington into a similar trajectory.

Washington Lineup

CF Denard Span

3B Anthony Rendon

RF Jayson Werth

1B Adam LaRoche

SS Ian Desmond

LF Bryce Harper

C Wilson Ramos

2B Asdrubal Cabrera

RHP Doug Fister

San Francisco Lineup

CF Gregor Blanco

2B Joe Panik

C Buster Posey

3B Pablo Sandoval

RF Hunter Pence

1B Brandon Belt

SS Brandon Crawford

LF Travis Ishikawa

LHP Madison Bumgarner

The Starters

The Nationals will send Doug Fister (16-6, 2.41 ERA) to the mound to try to stave off elimination, a familiar position for the 6-foot-8 right-hander. Fister won Game 5 of the 2011 ALDS at Yankee Stadium in his first postseason start, and just last year helped the Tigers avoid a series loss to the Oakland Athletics in Game 4 of the ALDS. He later won Game 4 of the 2013 ALCS against the Boston Red Sox, the final game the Tigers would win in that series.

Madison Bumgarner (18-10, 2.98 ERA) is also no stranger to postseason success, including his two World Series victories — including a 2-0 win over Fister and the Tigers in the 2012 Fall Classic — and a dominant, shutout performance in the 2014 Wild Card Game win over the Pittsburgh Pirates just five days ago. The big lefty, still just 25 years old, struck out 219 batters and walked just 43 in 217.1 innings of work this season, the best strikeout rate and lowest walk rate of his big-league career.

The Offenses

After scoring just three runs in 27 innings at Nationals Park in Games 1 and 2, Washington has no choice but to execute better against a difficult pitcher in a road environment. While that seems like a tall task, the Nationals have proven time and again they’ve got the talent and fortitude to score runs in bunches, beating the likes of Hernandez (2.14 ERA), Johnny Cueto (2.25 ERA) and Bumgarner already this season. Matt Williams will stick with the same lineup that got the Nationals to this point, a group that finished strong throughout the final two months of the season.

Like the Nationals, the Giants didn’t score many runs in the first two games of the series, putting just five total runs on the board. They will also stick with the same lineup in Game 3, hoping the continuity of the same order will provide them a series sweep. After Jordan Zimmermann retired 20 straight beginning in the third inning of Game 2, San Francisco scratched out the tying run in the ninth when Joe Panik drew a two-out walk, Buster Posey ripped a single to center and Pablo Sandoval doubled home Panik on a slicing liner down the left field line.

The Best of the Rest

The Nationals have put together quality at-bats off the bench, with top right-handed option Ryan Zimmerman going 1-for-2 with a pair of well-hit balls and lefty Nate Schierholtz going 1-for-1 with a double and an intentional walk. The Giants’ young bench has gone 0-for-8 with one walk so far in the series, with reserve outfielder Juan Perez seeing action in left field throughout extra innings on Saturday night.

In the bullpen, the Nationals have shown remarkable success from the left side against the predominantly left-handed hitting Giants, with Jerry Blevins and Matt Thornton dominating the competition in the first two games of the series. San Francisco’s bullpen was nearly flawless in Game 2, combining with right-hander Tim Hudson to set the Washington lineup down in 15 consecutive innings in the 2-1, 18-inning contest.

When the Nationals take on the San Francisco Giants in Game 3 of the NLDS Monday evening, they’ll face an uphill battle that will test their resolve as a team. The good news is they’ve already won three straight games against the Giants this year, including a head-to-head victory by Doug Fister over Madison Bumgarner at San Francisco’s AT&T Park.

Should they rally and move on to the NLCS, they also won’t be the first team to battle back from down 2-0 in a five-game series. In fact, there have been eight teams in MLB history to trail 2-0 in a best-of-five series and come back to win. Those eight are:

1981 Dodgers (NLDS)

1982 Brewers (ALCS)

1984 Padres (NLCS)

1995 Mariners (ALDS)

1999 Red Sox (ALDS)

2001 Yankees (ALDS)

2003 Red Sox (ALDS)

2012 Giants (NLDS)

Among those eight, five played in the World Series that season, with the 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers and 2012 San Francisco Giants each winning it all.

The Dodgers, led by excellent starting pitching, went all the way after scoring just one total run in their first two games of the NLDS against the Houston Astros, including an extra-inning loss in Game 2 that ended on a home run. They battled back and won Game 5 at home against Astros’ starter Nolan Ryan, then went on to knock off the Montreal Expos in the NLCS and the New York Yankees in the Fall Classic.

San Francisco, also led by great starting pitching, lost its first two games at home to the Cincinnati Reds in the 2012 NLDS, scoring just two total runs, then won three straight in Cincinnati when the bats got hot. The Giants kept the magic alive, beating the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS after trailing, 3-1, and eventually swept the Detroit Tigers in the World Series.

In 1995, the Seattle Mariners lost Game 1 against the New York Yankees, then lost in 15 innings in Game 2 on a home run. That game coincidentally included a Yankee RBI double to tie the game with two outs and Seattle one out away from winning, with the go-ahead runner getting thrown out at the plate on a relay from the left fielder to shortstop to catcher. The Mariners eventually won the series on a walk-off in Game 5.

The 2001 New York Yankees followed the exact first-round path the Nats are aiming for. They lost the first two games at home to the Wild Card Oakland Athletics, scoring three total runs. Facing elimination, they traveled across the country to face a Bay Area team featuring a tough left-handed pitcher, Barry Zito. In the seventh inning, clinging to a 1-0 lead, Derek Jeter’s famous “flip” play saved the season, and the Yankees won the game, took Game 4 the next night, then traveled back to New York and won Game 5. They made it all the way to Game 7 of the World Series, where they lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks — a team featuring cleanup hitter Matt Williams.

After dropping Game 1 to the Giants, 3-2, the Nationals will look to build on the late-game energy that saw them reach base safely seven times in the sixth through eighth innings on Friday — including monster home runs by No. 6 hitter Bryce Harper and No. 8 man Asdrubal Cabrera. Meanwhile, the Giants hope to receive another strong start from a veteran right-hander, as Tim Hudson takes the hill for the 11th time in his postseason career.

The Stakes

The Nationals’ mission in Game 2 is clear: find a way to even the series at 1-1 before departing for San Francisco to face ace left-hander Madison Bumgarner. The only two teams in MLB history to fall behind 0-2 at home before winning a five-game series are the 2001 Yankees (with an assist from the famous Derek Jeter “flip” play) and the 2012 Giants (winning three straight at Cincinnati and eventually claiming the World Series title).

San Francisco Lineup

CF Gregor Blanco

2B Joe Panik

C Buster Posey

3B Pablo Sandoval

RF Hunter Pence

1B Brandon Belt

SS Brandon Crawford

LF Travis Ishikawa

RHP Tim Hudson

Washington Lineup

CF Denard Span

3B Anthony Rendon

RF Jayson Werth

1B Adam LaRoche

SS Ian Desmond

LF Bryce Harper

C Wilson Ramos

2B Asdrubal Cabrera

RHP Jordan Zimmermann

The Starters

One of two diametrically opposing trends has a chance to change course when 39-year-old right-hander Tim Hudson takes the mound for the Giants on Saturday evening at Nationals Park. He could either put an end to his personal postseason misery, which has seen his teams go 2-8 in his 10 appearances (plus zero NLDS series wins), or his spell over the Nationals (18-5, 2.35 ERA lifetime) could be broken. Unlike Game 1 starter Jake Peavy, who came into the series red hot, Hudson stumbled down the stretch, going 0-5 with an 8.72 ERA in five September starts.

Jordan Zimmermann resides on the other end of the spectrum, after posting a 4-0 record with a 1.32 ERA in five September outings including a no-hitter on the final day of the regular season. The Nationals are a remarkable 11-0 in Zimmermann’s last 11 starts since the beginning of August, providing the right-hander with an average of 5.4 runs of support. The last time the Auburndale, Wisc. native took the hill in October, he struck out the side in an electric relief appearance against the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 4 of the 2012 NLDS.

The Offenses

The Giants scratched out eight hits — all singles — against Game 1 starter Stephen Strasburg, and will look to do more of the same against Zimmermann. Second baseman Joe Panik, first baseman Brandon Belt and shortstop Brandon Crawford continued their success after the Wild Card round, collecting multi-hit games, while each of the other five starting position players added at least one hit as well. San Francisco Manager Bruce Bochy is sticking with the same lineup for the third straight postseason game, after his club collected 23 hits and a pair of wins in its first two October contests.

Matt Williams also penciled in the same starting eight as Game 1 in front of Zimmermann, but will look for a few members of the lineup to find their stride at the plate. Leadoff man Denard Span and shortstop Ian Desmond were both saddled with 0-for-4 afternoons on Friday, but Span hasn’t gone multiple games without a hit since August and Desmond is a .288 (15-for-52) hitter against Hudson. Right fielder Jayson Werth, after drawing two walks and seeing a remarkable 27 pitches in four plate appearances in Game 1, could be poised for a particularly big game. Werth has worn out Hudson during his career, batting .386/.449/.750 (1.199 OPS) with four doubles, four homers and 12 runs batted in against the righty.

The Best of the Rest

The San Francisco bullpen was tested in Game 1, and came through with the win despite mixed results. Lefties Javier Lopez and Jeremy Affeldt each fell behind in the count in their one-batter assignments, with Lopez eventually walking Adam LaRoche and Affeldt recovering from down 3-0 to retire Span. Flame-throwing righty Hunter Strickland recorded the biggest out of the game with a bases-loaded strikeout of Desmond in the sixth, but served up the long balls to Harper and Cabrera the following inning. Sergio Romo worked around a pair of hits in the eighth, while closer Santiago Casilla retired the side in order in the ninth. The Giants’ bench, without Angel Pagan and Michael Morse for the series, went 0-for-2.

Left-handed batter Nate Schierholtz passed his first October test with flying colors, as he led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a double to right field in a pinch-hitting spot. Later, Ryan Zimmerman and Danny Espinosa were unable to replicate that success, but still provide Williams with quality depth at the plate, on the bases and in the field. Southpaws Jerry Blevins and Matt Thornton were excellent in their innings out of the bullpen, and while Craig Stammen allowed a run on a tough-luck triple and a run-scoring single off his glove, he should continue to be a solid option out of the bullpen. Tyler Clippard fired a nine-pitch top of the ninth in his inning of work, while closer Drew Storen still awaits his first appearance of the series.

Pittsburgh’s PNC Park will be the first ballpark to host two one-game Wild Card contests, after the Pirates cruised past the Cincinnati Reds a season ago, 6-2. Despite its cozy confines, Pirates fans turned up the volume a season ago and leaned on their proximity to the field of play, particularly in left field. Pittsburgh fans mercilessly taunted Reds hurler Johnny Cueto, who served up four runs on eight hits — including a pair of homers — in just 3.1 innings of work.

The Stakes

The winner will travel to Washington to face the Nationals this Friday, opening the best-of-five National League Division Series in the Nation’s Capital. Should the Pirates win, Game 1 will begin at 12:07 p.m. ET, but should the Giants prevail, first pitch will be at 3:07 p.m. local time at Nationals Park.

San Francisco Lineup

CF Gregor Blanco

2B Joe Panik

C Buster Posey

3B Pablo Sandoval

RF Hunter Pence

1B Brandon Belt

SS Brandon Crawford

LF Travis Ishikawa

LHP Madison Bumgarner

Pittsburgh Lineup

3B Josh Harrison

SS Jordy Mercer

CF Andrew McCutchen

C Russell Martin

LF Starling Marte

2B Neil Walker

1B Gaby Sanchez

RF Travis Snider

RHP Edinson Volquez

The Starters

San Francisco will turn to its ace, 25-year-old southpaw Madison Bumgarner, in this do-or-die contest. Bumgarner (18-10, 2.98) is no stranger to postseason baseball, with dominant performances in the Giants’ 2010 and 2012 World Series victories. He’s had mixed results against the Pirates, however, including a loss on July 28 of this year in which he was touched up for five runs in the first 1.1 innings of the game. Bumgarner is dominant against left-handed hitters, allowing a .539 OPS and just five walks all season, but is mortal against righties, allowing a .684 OPS — including 20 home runs.

Edinson Volquez (13-7, 3.04) will take the hill for the Pirates. A 31-year-old journeyman who has pitched for the Reds, Padres, Dodgers and Pirates since 2011, Volquez is the Pirates’ No. 3 starter behind left-hander Francisco Liriano and righty Gerrit Cole. However, in their attempt to claim the NL Central crown, manager Clint Hurdle elected to throw his aces over the weekend, putting his faith in Volquez. The right-hander posted a career-low strikeout rate, walked more than three batters per nine innings, and relied on a .263 batting average on balls in play, so he’ll have to maintain his good luck to prevail Wednesday night.

The Offenses

At the plate, the Pirates likely have the better offense at this point in the season. Defending 2013 NL MVP Andrew McCutchen leads a talented group that includes breakout performer Josh Harrison, power-speed threat Starling Marte and team leader Russell Martin. And while Martin’s two-homer performance in last year’s Wild Card stole the show last year, McCutchen remains the club’s biggest star. The center fielder hit .314/.410/.542 with 38 doubles, six triples, 25 home runs and 18 stolen bases in 2014, with his .410 on-base percentage leading all of Major League Baseball.

The Giants will attempt to match the Pittsburgh firepower with a former MVP of its own, as Buster Posey leads an attack that has been slowed by injuries in the second half of the season. Posey, the 2012 NL MVP Award winner, batted .311/.364/.490 this season, while All-Star outfielder Hunter Pence boasted a .777 OPS and 106 runs scored in 2014. San Francisco will miss the services of leadoff man and center fielder Angel Pagan, who recently underwent surgery to repair a herniated disk in his back, as well as former National Michael Morse, who will also miss the Wild Card Game due to injury.

The Best of the Rest

Because of the injuries to Morse and Pagan, the Giants will enter Wednesday night’s contest with plenty of question marks. Joaquin Arias, Gary Brown, Matt Duffy, Adam Duvall, Juan Perez, Guillermo Quiroz and Adam Susac comprise a bench that isn’t likely to strike fear into opposing pitchers, but could find themselves in key situations depending on how manager Bruce Bochy handles his substitutions. In the Pirates’ dugout, infielder Clint Barmes, first baseman Ike Davis and outfielders Gregory Polanco and Jose Tabata have more pedigree than the San Francisco reserves, but Davis and Polanco are liabilities against left-handers and may not see the batter’s box unless Bumgarner is out of the game.

Should the game rest on the success of the bullpens, both teams ranked in the top 10 in the league in bullpen ERA and each can match up with talented lefties and righties. The Giants feature veteran southpaws Jeremy Affeldt and Javier Lopez, along with righties Sergio Romo and Santiago Casilla. The Pirates are led by closer Mark Melancon (33 saves, 1.90 ERA) and lefty set-up man Tony Watson (10 wins, 34 holds, 1.63 ERA), two of the best in the business.

The Edge

If last night’s American League Wild Card Game (won 9-8 by Kansas City in 12 innings) is any indication, anything is possible. San Francisco will rely on Bumgarner to carry them through, while Pittsburgh will look to run up the score against a team that may not be able to match them blow for blow. Playing at home is always nice to have in a winner-take-all contest, and by virtue of their 4-2 head-to-head record against the Giants this season, the Pirates won the right to host Wednesday night’s game — and therefore hold the very slightest of advantages.

When the Nationals take the field for Game 1 of the National League Division Series this Friday, whichever pitcher Matt Williams entrusts with the starting assignment will give the team a tremendous chance to win.

That’s what the eye test tells us.

Fans of the Nationals saw Jordan Zimmermann, Stephen Strasburg, Doug Fister, Tanner Roark and Gio Gonzalez win game after game — or at least help the club earn win after win — throughout the regular season. Those core members of the starting five owned a collective record of 69-42 (.622) and the Nationals went 94-55 (.631) when one of them received the ball.

However, wins and losses really don’t tell a precise story of how well a pitcher performed. Too many external factors come into play in each win and loss, such as run support, batted ball luck and bullpen performance.

Instead, we look at the types of things a pitcher can control, such as walks and strikeouts. In the case of the 2014 Nationals, no pitching staff did it better — in the history of baseball.

This season, Washington pitchers struck out 1,288 opposing batters and walked 352. That’s a ratio of 3.66-to-1, a better rate than any of the other 2,391 teams to play a full season of baseball since 1901.

In fact, only 60 other teams in history had even managed a 2.66-to-1 ratio, underscoring just how well the Nationals struck batters out and limited free passes.

But the 3.66-to-1 figure only scratches the surface.

When considering only starting pitchers, the Nationals’ figure leaps to an astounding 4.05-to-1. And when excluding the 13 spot starts posted throughout the year by Blake Treinen, Taylor Jordan and Taylor Hill — leaving just the core five of Zimmermann, Strasburg, Fister, Roark and Gonzalez — the limits of the statistical stratosphere are tested.

The final ratio? An incredible 4.30-to-1.

So, when the going gets tough and runners are on base in the postseason, Williams, pitching coach Steve McCatty and the rest of the Nationals have the numbers on their side to back up what we’ve seen in the regular season. Notching a timely strikeout instead of issuing an inopportune walk can make or break a team in October — and one team is better equipped to do it than any other.

For 20 teams throughout the major leagues, the day after the conclusion of the regular season is often a time for reflection, a chance to digest a year of ups and downs, of wins and losses, of hopes dashed and chances blown. For 10 others, it is an opportunity to look forward to the postseason, to dream of a magical championship run yet to be scripted.

The Washington Nationals are one of those fortunate 10 — but the looking forward part can wait, at least for one day.

Sunday, Sept. 28, 2014, a picturesque afternoon in the nation’s capital, brought a sense of history to a town built upon extraordinary achievements. Jordan Zimmermann, the stoic leader of a dominant pitching staff, entered Game No. 162 of the regular season looking to log a few innings of work as a tune-up for the playoffs.

Instead, he threw the first no-hitter in Nationals history.

Zimmermann, 28 years old with the number 27 on his back, turned in a performance worthy of the history books. The right-hander struck out 10 Miami Marlins, walked just one and needed just 104 pitches to complete his effort. He became the third D.C.-based hurler to record a no-hitter, following in the footsteps of Hall of Famer Walter Johnson (July 1, 1920) and the less-heralded Bobby Burke (Aug. 8, 1931).

He also needed help from his defense.

Rookie outfielder Steven Souza Jr., inserted by manager Matt Williams into left field in the top of the ninth inning with the Nationals still clinging to a 1-0 lead, made one of the finest game-ending catches in Nationals history. The 6-foot-4, 224-pound thoroughbred reacted quickly as Marlins leadoff hitter Christian Yelich drove a 2-1 fastball deep toward the gap in left-center, turning and galloping back and to his left as the ball hurtled through the air. Gaining ground on the deep liner, Souza Jr. left his feet, glove on his left hand outstretched, his open right hand ready to protect the ball, his body nearly horizontal to the ground.

The crowd of 35,085, standing and roaring throughout the final inning, briefly fell silent. Zimmermann, whose head dropped upon contact, turned to watch the final few feet of the flight of the ball — and the final few feet of Souza Jr.’s leap.

Then, bedlam.

Zimmermann raised both arms high, Souza Jr. raised his glove in the air, ball secure in its webbing, as teammates rushed toward the center of the diamond. For a surreal 30 seconds, Nationals Park became a deafeningly loud sea of high-fives, with families sharing memories and strangers hugging red-clad strangers, beneath the canopy of a perfect, blue, late-September sky.

It was an immaculate ending. It could be a beautiful beginning. October awaits.

The following is an excerpt from the August/September issue of Nationals Magazine. To read the full story, visit nationals.com/publications to find out how you can subscribe. The August/September issue of Nationals Magazine is on sale now, can be purchased at the Main Clubhouse Team Store at Nationals Park and is also available inside Nationals Park on gamedays.

No matter the game situation, the position he plays on the diamond or the spot he hits in the lineup, Anthony Rendon serves as the Washington Nationals’ steadying influence.

At one end of the spectrum stands The Era of Twitter, the 24-hour news cycle, newspaper comments sections and ubiquitous “hot take” sports columns. The gravitational pull of this collective force draws unsuspecting victims into its orbit, with misstatements becoming headline news and free agent decisions drawing round-the-clock coverage.

At the other end stands a reserved, unassuming 24-year-old, grinning sheepishly — perhaps reluctantly — as a cluster of reporters scurry to form a semicircle around the padded folding chair in front of his locker. With his back to the scene, he collects his thoughts, takes a deep breath, and turns to face the scribes, with the chair forming a symbolic barrier between himself and The Era, lest it envelop him, too.

Whether he wants to admit it or not, the Nationals’ success through the first three-and-a-half months of the season was largely a credit to the work put in by Anthony Rendon. The 6-foot-1, 198-pound second and third baseman enjoyed a tremendous all-around first half, hitting .287/.343/.490 with 13 home runs, 53 runs batted in, 67 runs scored and eight stolen bases.

His cool, calm and collected approach at the plate and in the field gave the Nationals a dependable presence on a daily basis, with injuries sidelining Bryce Harper, Adam LaRoche, Wilson Ramos, Denard Span and Ryan Zimmerman for a combined 168 games at various points in April, May and June.

Beginning the year as Matt Williams’ Opening Day second baseman — and hitting the back-breaking three-run home run in that game — Rendon started nearly every day at third base when Zimmerman went down less than two weeks into the year, before moving back to second upon Harper’s return on the last day of June. He provided excellent defense wherever he played, showing remarkable range, nifty glove work and a howitzer for a right arm.

Rendon’s success at the plate earned him a series of “promotions” up the lineup card, moving from the eighth spot in the opener — that experiment lasted just one day — before settling in nicely as Williams’ everyday No. 2 hitter behind Span. He hit at least once in every spot in the order along the way, including five times at the No. 5 spot and nine times in the leadoff role.

Span has seen an uptick in the amount of quality pitches he has to hit with Rendon hitting behind him, driving 28 doubles prior to the All-Star break — matching his entire 2013 total in 278 fewer plate appearances.

“(Anthony) has been the catalyst,” Span said in early July. “He’s done everything — he’s gotten on base, he’s scored runs, he’s knocked in a ton of runs. Defensively, he’s been unbelievable at second and third base. He’s been our MVP so far in this first half of the season.”

To continue reading “Equilibrium” on Nationals infielder Anthony Rendon, along with more great content from Nationals Magazine, please visit nationals.com/publications, or pick up a copy at the Main Clubhouse Team Store at Nationals Park, as well as inside Nationals Park on gamedays.

All things considered, the evening of June 17 was a fairly uneventful one for Corporal William “Kyle” Carpenter, a retired United States Marine. He visited Nationals Park, took in batting practice from the field, met Nationals players and coaches and enjoyed the game from a suite.

The evening was a chance for Carpenter to relax, have fun with friends and family and take in some baseball — a game he played growing up as a kid in Mississippi.

Two days later, he became the 79th living service member — just eight of whom served in Iraq and Afghanistan — to earn the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Awarded for acts of valor above and beyond the call of duty, then-Lance Cpl. Carpenter was severely injured when he threw himself on a live grenade to protect fellow Lance Cpl. Nicholas Eufrazio in the Helmand province of Afghanistan in late 2010. The ensuing blast left Carpenter with nearly 30 fractures in his right arm, a fractured skull, punctured lung, numerous shrapnel wounds and the loss of his right eye. Eufrazio was injured by shrapnel as well, but survived the blast.

“With that singular act of courage, Kyle, you not only saved your brother in arms, you displayed a heroism in the blink of an eye that will inspire for generations — valor worthy of our nation’s highest military decoration,” President Barack Obama said Thursday during a White House ceremony.

Carpenter said once it looked as though he would survive the injuries, members of his unit with the Marines started hinting that they wanted to push for him to receive the honor. This February, that process began to materialize, as Carpenter started receiving calls from the Pentagon regarding his candidacy. Then, later this spring, the biggest call finally came.

“I’m very honored, and it’s very humbling,” Carpenter said of the award. “It’s not easy to accept, because so many others give the ultimate sacrifice. I’m very appreciative in accepting it, but I accept it with a heavy heart.”

Even as he continues to internalize the significance of the award, Carpenter said he’s been grateful for all the support he’s received along the way. If anything, he said that the whirlwind of fun events leading up to the Medal of Honor ceremony, such as attending Tuesday’s Nationals game, were more about sharing the experience with those closest to him.

“I’m excited for these once-in-a-lifetime experiences, but I’m equally — or more — excited for my guests and family,” he said. “They’ve been there [for me] since Afghanistan, since I got injured. I feel like I’m repaying them, saying, ‘Thank you,’ a little bit.”

The Washington Nationals finished off a three-game sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies Thursday afternoon, then added to their deep farm system with the selection of pitcher Erick Fedde with the 18th overall pick in the 2014 First-Year Player Draft.

Fedde, a 6-foot-4, 180 pound right-hander out of the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, compiled an 8-2 record with a 1.76 ERA in 11 starts for the Rebels in 2014, striking out 82 batters and walking just 21 batters in 76.2 innings pitched. He was named to the All-Mountain West First Team and also earned 2014 Mountain West Conference Pitcher of the Year honors.

Your browser does not support iframes.

“We’ve scouted him intensely over the last three years,” Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo said, noting Fedde’s competitiveness on the mound. “He’s got two plus-plus pitches, and his third pitch, a change-up, is on the come. We think that’s going to be an above average pitch.”

The 21-year-old, who played at Las Vegas High School with Bryce Harper in 2009, underwent Tommy John ligament replacement surgery on Tuesday. Rizzo said that the team is excited about Fedde’s potential, despite the injury.

“[Erick is a] big, physical guy — we had him toward the top of our draft board,” Rizzo said. “We felt that the risk of him rehabbing and coming back to pre-injury form was worth the draft pick.”

Assistant General Manager & Vice President of Scouting Operations Kris Kline was also sold on Fedde’s pedigree and repertoire.

“I actually saw his first start of the year at UNLV and it was really, really good,” Kline said. “I walked out of there thinking that we’ve got no shot at getting this player, because he was a top-five type guy. He doesn’t throw anything straight … a lot of life, very heavy, above average slider up to 88 [miles per hour] and the makings and flashes of an above-average change-up.”

Following a year in which the Nationals did not have a first-round selection, the Nationals will look to extend their impressive run of successful first round picks since Rizzo was promoted to the team’s GM post in 2009. Fedde joins Stephen Strasburg, Drew Storen, Harper, Anthony Rendon and Lucas Giolito as first-round draft selections in Washington during Rizzo’s tenure.

Rizzo said the Nationals’ medical team has been in touch with the doctors who performed Fedde’s surgery, and assuming Fedde signs with the organization this summer, the team will at that point take over the rehabilitation process.

“We’ll put him in the Viera [Fla.] rehab mode,” Rizzo said. “We’ll have our really talented rehab coordinators get after it and allow him to hopefully be pitching at this time next year somewhere.”

[UPDATE]

With their second round selection at No. 57 overall, the Nationals tabbed Andrew Suarez, a 6-foot-2 left-hander out of the University of Miami. Suarez, 21, went 6-3 with a 2.95 ERA in 2014, walking a minuscule 15 batters in 109.2 innings of work for the Hurricanes.

The draft is set to continue with rounds three through 10 on Friday and rounds 11 through 40 Saturday.

The following is an excerpt from the June/July issue of Nationals Magazine. To read the full story, visit nationals.com/publications to find out how you can subscribe. The June/July issue of Nationals Magazine is on sale now, can be purchased at the Main Clubhouse Team Store at Nationals Park and is also available inside Nationals Park on gamedays.

The most coveted emblem in sports is not a logo on a cap or a dollar sign on a contract. Instead, it is the captain’s ‘C’ on a player’s chest, symbolizing not just their play on the field, court, or ice, but the respect they earn off it. Currently, no baseball players don a ‘C’ on their jerseys — only three are designated as team captains at all — but Ian Desmond, with the encouragement of his most devoted fans, could one day join that exclusive company.

The evening of April 17, 2014 proved to be one of the toughest of Ian Desmond’s career. He’d shown up at the ballpark hoping to lead the Nationals to a victory over the St. Louis Cardinals, but instead found himself in front of his locker answering questions after a difficult 8-0 loss. The two-time Silver Slugger Award-winner wasn’t just bothered by the defeat, but by his fielding mishaps — a pair of errors that led to four Cardinals runs.

Always honest and forthright about his performances, good and bad, Desmond made sure he was available to the media late that night.

“As bad as I want to run and hide… (I’ve) got to stand here and answer the questions, and be a man about it,” Desmond told reporters. “This is something I’ve done to myself. I can’t blame anybody else or anything. I’ve been here before — I’ve proved to people I can play, and I’ve proved to myself I can play. I’m going to do it again. The errors in the past have made me who I am today. These are going to make me a better man, too. I’ve just got to keep fighting through it.”

Make me a better man. Those words are seldom heard in a clubhouse, where machismo and defiance usually follow tough defeats. Desmond is an exception to that rule, offering fans and reporters an introspective into his psyche on the bad nights and heaping praise on his teammates on the good ones.

Just a week earlier, Desmond deflected credit after he hit a game-clinching grand slam to give the Nats a 7-1 lead, saying middle reliever Aaron Barrett came through more than he did by getting a key strikeout when the score was still 2-1. It’s just part of who he is.

He supports as many charitable causes as he can, the vast majority of which are behind the scenes, with no fanfare. He prefers it that way. Causes he has publicly backed include the campaign to end Neurofibromatosis (NF), which generated more than $30,000 in donations during the month of May, and the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy (YBA), which opened in March. (For more details on Desmond’s quest to End NF click here.)

As a 28-year-old professional ballplayer with a wife and two small children, Desmond could not be faulted if he simply opened his checkbook for various causes and left the work of managing them to others. Instead, he voluntarily became the face of the End NF campaign and serves on the Youth Baseball Academy board of directors, going out of his way to provide more than just financial support.

Rarely do athletes take that kind of approach, but Desmond has a deep appreciation for where he came from and what it took to reach this point.

To continue reading “The People’s Captain” on Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond, along with more great content from Nationals Magazine, please visit nationals.com/publications, or pick up a copy at the Main Clubhouse Team Store at Nationals Park, as well as inside Nationals Park on gamedays.

OFFICIAL BLOG OF THE NATIONALS

Welcome to Curly W Live, the official blog of the Washington Nationals. With player interviews, special features and other unique, behind-the-scenes content, this is your exclusive window to all things Nationals all year round.

Meta

The following are trademarks or service marks of Major League Baseball entities and may be used only with permission of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. or the relevant Major League Baseball entity: Major League, Major League Baseball, MLB, the silhouetted batter logo, World Series, National League, American League, Division Series, League Championship Series, All-Star Game, and the names, nicknames, logos, uniform designs, color combinations, and slogans designating the Major League Baseball clubs and entities, and their respective mascots, events and exhibitions.